The Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced that the controversial C-IRG police unit has become responsible for the security of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the province of British Columbia.

The C-IRG unit was originally formed to respond to clashes around resource extraction on Indigenous lands.

It said this move reflects an expanded mandate for the Community and Industry Response Group known as C-IRG, a unit currently undergoing a systemic investigation by the Canadian Police Oversight body over widespread allegations of misconduct.

The C-IRG's approach to public disturbances has been adopted as the “national best practice,” according to Chief Media Relations Officer Sergeant Chris Clarke, and the branding is now being changed to reflect its expanded role in British Columbia.

Clarke said: “Although it was originally created to respond to protests related to gas and pipelines, C-IRG has been deployed to record protests and homelessness protests and oversee anti-COVID demonstrations.”

He added that it has also been sent to face natural disasters such as floods and wildfires.

He noted, “Recently, C-IRG has been deployed in demonstrations supporting Palestine to support judicial police with public safety and law enforcement at these politically and emotionally charged events.”

RCMP identified these marches as occurring “in almost every major centre in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and the interior,” but did not provide exact dates or locations of the marches where C-IRG officers were present.

Michael Bokert, Vice President of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East based in Montreal, criticized the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's response and described it as racist, saying he was not aware of any marches in Canada supporting Hamas, which the federal government currently classifies as a terrorist organization.

Bokert said in a statement to The Tyee: “The RCMP is making a gross, racist, and inflammatory conflation by describing pro-Palestinian demonstrations as pro-Hamas,” describing it as “completely unfair and arbitrary” to align those calling for an end to the Israeli war on Gaza with terrorism.

He added this is classic anti-Palestinian racism. Of particular concern is that they refuse to identify the marches they are referring to, indicating that they view all pro-Palestinian events in that light.”

Bokert added that linking demonstrations to terrorism can have a devastating impact on the personal safety of protesters and the right to peaceful assembly.

On Thursday, more than 100 protesters shut down Vancouver Port at two entrances, demanding an arms embargo against Israel. The blockade comes in the wake of reports that the continuation of Canadian military exports to Israel may have potential legal implications following the ruling of the International Court of Justice.